01
01
A member suggests someone they already know
The proposed person must come from an approved StayKnown relationship belonging to the member making the suggestion.
Consent-based communication
Chat built around trust, permission, and real safety boundaries.
StayKnown combines approved-contact conversations, protected entry, translation-aware messaging, voice and media, and Trusted Circle group communication without turning membership into hidden access.
Approved-contact direct ChatTrusted Circle rolesSelective message audiencesTranslation-aware messagesVoice, media, files & location
Recognisable people · deliberate access
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Amaka · Approved contact
Protected Chat
Amaka is typing
Translation preview
Direct flow · Step 1 of 5
Know who you are speaking with.
Names, avatars, verification context, approved-contact status, and account protection help people recognise the conversation before they depend on it.
Safety boundary
Opening Chat does not create hidden safety access or a new contact relationship.
Interactive demonstration · no account data used
Chat feature atlas
Explore each communication boundary without losing the full picture.
Switch between direct Chat, Trusted Circles, expressive communication, and the safety boundary that keeps communication helpful without overstating what the app can do.
Recognised one-to-one communication
A private conversation begins with an authorised relationship.
StayKnown connects direct Chat to approved people, visible identity context, protected entry, delivery states, replies, reactions, translation-aware messages, and deliberate safety sharing.
Opening a profile does not silently grant private Chat.
The conversation remains isolated from any later Trusted Circle.
Read, delivery, presence, mute, privacy, and notifications remain connected to the correct person and account.
Trusted Circle consent bridge
Adding one person is a sequence of independent decisions.
StayKnown avoids the unsafe pattern where one member can expose everyone else to a stranger with a single tap. The invitation moves only after the required Circle-specific reviews are complete.
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02
The Circle Lead reviews the suggestion
The Lead decides whether the proposal may move forward. A suggestion does not instantly add anyone.
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03
Existing members receive a limited introduction
Members see only the identity and relationship context needed to make a Circle-specific decision—not private phone numbers, email addresses, exact location, or direct-chat history.
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04
Required members approve or decline
The candidate invitation is sent only after the required existing-member consent is complete.
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05
The candidate independently accepts
The candidate reviews the Circle, policies, members, rules, and safety notice before entering. Access begins only after acceptance.
Declines remain respected
A decline does not require a public reason. The Circle receives a neutral status update, and the same Circle cannot immediately pressure the person with repeated invitations.
Circle roles and responsibilities
Every Circle responsibility has a clear owner.
The Circle Lead remains responsible for the Circle, Stewards help only with assigned tasks, and Members keep the boundaries they accepted.
Circle founder
Circle Lead
The person who begins the founding direct conversation becomes the Circle Lead when the Circle is created. The Lead reviews invitations, manages rules and roles, removes members, and can close or transfer the Circle.
Trusted support role
Circle Steward
A Steward can help with only the responsibilities the Lead grants, such as updating the description or managing pins. Becoming a Steward does not give every Lead permission.
Approved participant
Circle Member
A Member joins only after the required Circle consent and invitation steps. Membership does not automatically create direct Chat, emergency-contact, SOS-contact, or location access.
What membership never means
Clear permission limits are part of the product—not fine print.
The safest communication system explains what does not happen. These boundaries keep a Trusted Circle from silently becoming a surveillance, contact, or private-message shortcut.
01No automatic access to private messages sent before joining a Trusted Circle.
02No conversion of an old one-to-one thread into a multi-member history.
03No automatic location sharing because someone is a Chat or Circle member.
04No automatic direct Chat relationship between every Circle participant.
05No automatic scan of personal photos or files; the user chooses each attachment.
06Circle Lead and Steward responsibilities stay clearly defined.
Plans and availability
The StayKnown app shows the Chat features available to your account.
Direct Chat, Trusted Circle access, member capacity, invitation eligibility, and advanced controls can vary by plan and account eligibility. Open StayKnown to see your current options.
Chat questions answered
Understand the boundary before depending on the conversation.
These answers explain who can start direct Chat, how Trusted Circle consent works, who sees selected messages, how location is shared, how histories stay separate, and what StayKnown does not replace.
01Who can start a direct StayKnown conversation?+
Direct Chat is tied to an authorised StayKnown relationship. Opening a profile or searching for someone does not by itself grant private Chat or safety access.
02Does a Trusted Circle reveal the original private chat?+
No. StayKnown creates a separate Trusted Circle conversation. Earlier direct messages, attachments, locations, replies, reactions, pins, and safety cards are not copied into the Circle.
03Can every Circle member add another person immediately?+
No. A member may suggest an approved contact, but the Lead review, required existing-member consent, and the candidate’s independent acceptance must be completed first.
04Can a Circle message be visible to selected people only?+
Yes. The sender may choose specific members. The sender and Circle Lead remain included, and StayKnown keeps the message, replies, reactions, attachments, receipts, and previews limited to the chosen audience.
05Does joining a Circle share my location?+
No. Location remains a separate deliberate action. A person must choose Location and confirm the share; Circle membership alone does not request or expose location.
06What happens when a Trusted Circle returns to two people?+
When the remaining people are the original approved founding pair, StayKnown can complete a short return flow and reopen their original direct conversation. Circle history stays separate and read-only. If they are not the founding approved pair, StayKnown does not silently create private Chat access.
07Which plans include Trusted Circle Chat?+
Trusted Circle features are designed for eligible StayKnown Pro and Pro Max accounts. The StayKnown app shows the current availability, capacity, and controls for each account.
08Does StayKnown replace emergency services?+
No. Chat can help trusted people communicate and understand safety context, but it does not guarantee professional monitoring, emergency dispatch, or rescue. Contact the appropriate local emergency service when urgent help is required.
Stay connected with intention
Communication becomes safer when every person can see the boundary.
Download StayKnown to explore the communication features available to your account. StayKnown does not replace local emergency services or guarantee professional emergency response.